In their recent newsletter, the Victorian Agency for Health Information (VAHI) highlighted how data from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) has supported the implementation of new prehospital notification technology at Latrobe Regional Hospital.

The Pulsara™ App allows ambulance crews to alert and share information the hospital of incoming patients requiring time critical care. This technology was trialled at Latrobe Regional Hospital to facilitate faster access to time critical treatments for patients with suspected stroke.

The AuSCR data were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the App and showed a significant reduction in the time to treatment for patients with stroke. A notable finding from the project at Latrobe Regional Hospital included a shorter time to receive a CT scan for patients receiving clot busting therapy (known as thrombolysis).

The project is an example of how participation in AuSCR can support participating hospitals to track and improve the quality of care.